Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/238

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
212
NATIVE TRIBES OF SOUTH-EAST AUSTRALIA
CH.
MARRIAGES AND DESCENTS, WIRADJURI TRIBE, LACHLAN RIVER—continued
Male Marries Children are


Kumbo mallee-hen Matha red kangaroo The Children are always of the complementary sub-class to that of their mother, and of her totem.
  or Matha black duck
Kumbo emu Matha snake
or (anomalous)
Kubbitha bandicoot
Kumbo opossum Matha bandicoot
Kubbitha black duck
Kubbitha red kangaroo
Kubbitha lace-lizard
or (anomalous)
Murri red kangaroo Butha mallee-hen
Murri black duck Bulha emu
  or or (anomalous)
Murri snake Ipatha opossum
Murri bandicoot Ipatha mallee-hen
Ipatha padi-melon
or (anomalous)
Butha opossum
Kubbi red kangaroo Ipatha padi-melon
Kubbi black duck Ipatha mallee-hen
  or or (anomalous)
Kubbi lace-lizard Butha opossum
Kubbi bandicoot Ipatha opossum
Butha mallee-hen
Butha emu
or (anomalous)

There is another totem belonging to Ipai and Kumbo, which Mr. Cameron was unable to obtain.

The class system has been given in the previous chapter. The peculiar feature in these marriages is that a man is permitted to marry into both of the sub-classes of the opposite class—that is, in fact, to revert partially to the old law of the classes. But it may be perhaps done from other reasons—for instance, the small number of the people of certain totems compelling those who otherwise would have married in accordance with the general rule of the sub-classes to follow the older law. This will come again